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Sharing My Heart

By Benjamin H. Liles

From time to time I don't feel the need to shake things up. I follow a set plan, a set way of doing things, including how I write "certain" posts. I feel a need to share a burden on my heart however. And honestly, I feel led to share this with you, my reader. We need to be honest in all we say and do. If we're not, how can we ever learn to open ourselves up to God? How can we allow ourselves the right to "approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need?" (Hebrews 5:16, Berean Study).
Guys and gals, we are all under a veil of darkness, which is consuming us. But what would we rather prevail: 1) God's light and goodness, His justice, grace and mercy? or 2)To allow ourselves to be indwelt by all manners of unholiness, by uncleanness, by filth, and the right to be selfish? In my honest opinion, except for the fact I know I'm blood bought by the shed blood of Jesus Christ, there's this war inside me.

Paul said the same thing within Romans, he wrote: "So this is the principle I have discovered: when I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in me inner being I delight in God's Law. But I see another law at work in my body, warring against the law of my mind and holding me captive to the law of sin that dwells within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God, through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with my mind ?I serve the law of God, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin" (Romans 7:21-25).

If we look at exactly what Paul is saying here, he's telling us what the problem is--us. We say we want, and to desire after God for that law is written on our hearts, but we also have another law written on our flesh, which is to disobey, to put asunder the things God calls us to do in His image and His name. Folks, I'm not saying we cave and sower to our sinfulness. Nor am I claiming that we claim a false confidence when we may not feel confident.

What I'm suggesting is we be honest and open with our Creator. Let us come boldly before Him, confessing who and what we are, declaring out loud, "Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner!" Let's get it off our chests as if there's no other hope to find. I truthfully believe He meets us at our need. He longs to fill a part of us we can't have any reason to fill on our own. God alone fills the parts of us that are dead and weak. He prunes us carefully, like a vinedresser cares for the vines in which to best make good, fruitful and tasty wine.

Now, consider this, and I implore you to seek this out on your own, in your time, and in such a way that shows God you are seeking Him. He will take the one who isn't sure whether or not He's there, as long as you admit He just might be there. He will show Himself mighty. For scripture tells us, "So the LORD has repaid me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in His sight. To the faithful You show Yourself faithful, to the blameless You show Yourself blameless, to the pure You show Yourself pure, but to the crooked You show Yourself shrewd. For You save an afflicted people, but You humbles those with arrogant eyes" (Psalm 18:24-27).

What David is saying here is that God will show Himself to those who are those things: faithful, blameless, and pure. How can you know someone so very well if you never put yourself in a place where they can know and talk to you? Can an employee do the job the employer asks him or her to do if they never see or speak to one another? Can a man and woman who are married bond together as a couple if they never get to know each other's hearts or even burdens? So it is the same between us and God.

Guys, and gals, we have an imperative before us. It is on us to be real, to just simplify things on our end and rail away at a holy and just God. He may hear you and choose to not say anything, at the moment, but He will hear you when you're truthfully and purely honest with Him. If you're angry, tell Him. If you're sad and hurt, tell Him that too. If you feel lost and abandoned, let Him know. How can the God of the universe hold you if you never allow Him to do so?

The best thing you can do is to say, "Father, God," or as my wife likes to say, "Daddy, God...." and just pour your heart out to Him. His shoulders are far bigger than you think or believe He is. He can handle all sorts of things you feel are out of your hands, and purely beyond your control. This is what's on my heart, for me and also for you. The big thing is to simply be yourself and to let Him know where you are. Then He will be there for you as He is for me. I pray this in Jesus' name, Amen.